There is going to be a feast of top class racing on Marshalls World Of Sport (MWOS) Gold Cup day and there are many drawcards among the horses entered for the day's big races.
The chief talking points are that the WSB SA Derby winner Aragosta has been entered in the day's headline event, the Grade 3 R750,000 MWOS Gold Cup; the darling of the SA turf Captain's Ransom has been entered in the Grade 1 R1 million Mercury Sprint; defending champion Jet Dark and his perennial rivals Kommetdieding and Linebacker have been entered in the Grade 1 R1 million Champions Cup; Glen Kotzen's Hollywoodbets Durban July day juvenile hero and heroine respectively, Cousin Casey and Ameena, have both drawn wide in the Grade 1 R500,000 Premier's Champion Stakes and Grade 1 R500,000 Thekwini Stakes respectively; and a number of exciting unexposed horses will face up to the tried and tested horses in the latter pair of races.
It is refreshing to see the SA Derby winner lining up in the Gold Cup. There is a perennial debate about the Equus Stayer's Award and it usually hinges on whether the Grade 1 SA Derby winner should get it ahead of an out and out stayer. There was a camp of thought who disagreed with last year's decision to award it to Nebraas, who had won both the Grade 3 Gold Vase over 3000m and Grade 3 Gold Cup over 3200m with low weights, because that left the WSB SA Triple Crown winner Malmoos empty-handed. Nebraas will now be given the opportunity to prove a point because he will carry topweight and faces a field that includes a SA Derby winner. Both Nebraas and Aragosta are merit rated 118. Aragosta will receive only 2.5kg from Nebraas despite the weight for age scale at this time of the year allowing three-year-olds 3,5kg. This is due to the weights being compressed. The topweight will have an easier task than usual this year as the minimum weight has been set at 54kg, as opposed to the normal 52kg. The DSTV Gold Vase winner Black Thorn would receive 9kg from Nebraas in a normal handicap but will now only receive six. Other notable entries are twice Listed-winning stayer Shangani, although he was raised four points for beating Nebraas by a length on July 3 when receiving only 2kg so will now have to carry 59kg and he has also drawn wide. One Way Traffic was initially entered and made joint ante-post favourite together with Nebraas but was scratched later in the afternoon. That leaves Justin Snaith with just one string to his bow with Salvator Mundi. Glen Kotzen runs last year's easy Grade 3 WSB Pocket Power Stakes (2400m) winner Crimson King. A former Gold Cup runner up Paybackthemoney runs for Nathan Kotzen.
In the weight for age Champions Cup, Jet Dark and Kommetdieding will be out to settle an argument. Jet Dark easily beat Kommet in the Grade 1 L'Ormarins Queen's Plate, but Kommet levelled the score in the WSB Met and then Jet Dark went one up by beating Kommet at level weights in the Hollywoodbets Durban July. Linebacker will be looking to bounce back after a luckless July run. Russian Rock will be dangerous running fresh from pole position. Astrix, Al Muthana and Marina could also be contenders.
Corrie Lensley said Alesian Chief would not make the journey down for the Mercury Sprint if he drew wider than six or seven and he has drawn seven in a 33-strong entry list which has already had two scratchings. Captain's Ransom's entry in the Mercury Sprint was a major talking point as the yard had initially said after her luckless run in the Bentford F.C Garden Province Stakes that she would be rested until being prepared for the Cape Summer season. She has landed a plum draw of four. Her champion sprinter stablemate Rio Querari is not among the entries. The other two highest rated sprinters in the country, Master Archie and Bohica, are both entered.
Both of Glen Kotzen's two-year-old stars Ameena and Cousin Casey possess good acceleration, so will likely still line up in the Thekwini and Premier's Champion Stakes from wide draws. Yesterday's impressive debut winner Shantastic is entered in the Thekwini. Maharanee, who flopped in the Golden Slipper after pulling, is entered in both two-year-old events and so is Grade 1 Allan Robertson third-placed River Queraress. Impressive Highveld fillies Gobsmacked, None Other and Lady Of Power are notable entries in the Thekwini. Itsrainingwilliam and Mercantour are among the notable entries in the Champion Stakes. The one-two in the BSA Sales Cup for colts and geldings, Mover And Shaker and Now I Got You, are both entered in the Champion Stakes and drawn 19 and 13 respectively. The winner of the BSA Sales Cup for fillies, Feather Boa, is entered in the Thekwini but has drawn wide in 28. The runner up in that race, Canadian Summer, has drawn two and will attempt to give the Ivan and Darryl Moore yard their first Grade 1 winner since Fighting Warrior won the Golden Horseshoe on July day in 2011. Nathan Kotzen's Golden Horseshoe runner up Royal Victory has drawn well in the Champion Stakes. – David Thiselton
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